If you've ever wanted to visit the Moon, this could be your chance

Have you ever dreamt of being an astronaut? Do you periodically check your LinkedIn network for news of astronaut job openings? If so, we have some promising news: NASA has announced that they’ll be hiring new astronauts this year. And they’re going to be going to the moon.

Writing at The Washington Post, Ben Guarino has the details. The search is for astronauts to be a part of NASA’s Artemis Program — which, according to NASA’s website, “will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon with the goal of sending humans to Mars.”

As the article notes, just getting your foot in the door requires a relatively specific set of skills and qualifications:

You must be a U.S. citizen and have a bachelor’s degree in science, math or engineering. Plus, NASA is looking for a master’s degree (in physical; computer or biological sciences; engineering; or math) or at least a few years of PhD work in one of those fields; if you’re a medical doctor, that works, too; or if you’re enrolled or a graduate of a test pilot program.

It should come as no surprise that astronaut positions are very competitive: the last time NASA posted something like this, they received 18,300 applications. They were hiring for 14 positions.

Being selected from the initial field doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be headed into space; the applicants who are chosen will then undergo two years of training and evaluation. It’s a comprehensive process, but then — going into space is a pretty big deal.

One piece of advice: if you are called in for an interview to be an astronaut, don’t steal a potato chip from your interviewer’s desk. That might not work out well for you.